Diagnosis - the bah humbug bug

I’m back! Well, sort of. I am still in the hospital in Salina, but I feel SO much better now. My ordeal started on Christmas morning when I woke with a bah humbug feeling. Now, I am not talking about feeling tired, or feeling like I had a cold, or feeling like I had stayed up too late, or feeling as if I had a hang over – I felt like I had ALL of those combined. To make a long story short – I have a nasty infection (and accompanying high fever) that presented itself as cellulites in my right underarm, breast, and back areas. As a result of the infection, I am now battling fluid accumulation in the same areas. Three hundred cc’s of fluid was drawn from the area on Friday and I will have another sonogram and fluid withdrawal today, Sunday. The bah humbug bug has not yet been identified and that has the doctor a little concerned. I am still taking two kinds of IV antibiotics for the infection - Rocephin twice a day and Vancomycin once a day. I tried to talk the doctor into releasing me today, but he wants me to stay to receive the IV antibiotics and to monitor the fluid buildup.

My high fever caused me to be mostly ‘out of it’ on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I did not turn the TV on in my hospital room until Friday night – that tells me just how out of it I was. I want to give a special ‘shout out’ to Nancy for her guest blog and, of course, her love and support of me. She has been here the whole time so she will be the one who will need a little R&R in the next few weeks. I know most of you probably know this, but Nancy has also been in the midst of caring for her ‘second mom’ Frances Van Scoyoc and Frances’ sister Christabelle Fitzgerald. They both live in the their own homes in Manhattan. Christabelle, 95, broke her hip on December 10, had surgery a couple of days later and is now in St Joseph Care Center in Manhattan. Frances, age 92, visited the ER in Manhattan yesterday because she felt as if she was having a stroke. She checked out OK and is resting at home. Of course, all of this activity has caused lots and lots of stress for Nancy. Now you know why I am worried about her.

Thanks to all who have called, emailed, visited, posted to the blog, and sent goodies. I truly appreciate your support and care for Nancy and me. The care here has been exceptional. One of my nurses is a former student from my days of teaching Fundamental of Nutrition in Animal Science. As my sister Debbie once told me, ‘You just have to be nice to everyone because you never know when you will meet them again.”

Love to all,
Mary Kay

Baby Sam enjoyed a little time in Great-Aunt Mary Kay's arms

Jackie and Jeremy (and Di, too) came for a visit
after they attended the K-State basketball game.

My bed was the gathering place for a little fun with the great nieces and nephews

Natalie and her Daddy, John

Hallie Jo and her Grandma